Off to the Purcell Room on the South Bank for an Election Summit – a last gathering of the Lib Dem clan to rally us for the election.

First off is the photo op with Charles. We are meant to stand in a diamond shape of human beings whilst the cameras shoot us from above. TV and radio and lots of papers in attendance. The Lib Dem star is definitely rising at the moment – as we are the ‘Real Alternative’.

I am placed next to Charles at the front of the diamond shape. It’s all very interesting where you get put – I surmise from the number of times I have found myself next to Charles in photo-ops recently that I am either absolutely gorgeous (unlikely) or that the party wishes to promote me as a good thing (quite right)!

Photo over – we go into the hall for a speech from our Charles. The media are allowed to stay for this – and Charles gives it a good send off. It is a confidence thing I think – our policies are good, out position is better than ever before – and the others are less than edifying with their various negative yah-boo style of politics – all giving us a feel-good factor. Let’s hope it translates into votes.

A few of the senior MPs have sidled up to me to say that the buzz in Westminster is that I will win in Hornsey & Wood Green. If enough people vote for me this is undoubtedly true – but I am too much of a grass-roots campaigner with feet firmly on ground to pay too much account to the village gossip (although I think they are right). But it is better than the gossip being in the other direction!

We then move into private session to hear from our campaign genius Chris Rennard and our election campaign manager Tim Razzall.

It’s a good session followed by our various spokespersons giving a three-minute speech on their area and then taking really nasty questions from us. We are all going to face this at hustings during the election – so seeing our spokespersons under heavy fire rehearses the arguments.

I come out to lunch, switch on my phone, to find 15 missed calls. I hate that – I always feel under surveillance and guilty for not attending at moment of call. Too dutiful by far. Most are media – including the Evening Standard who are showing an interest in Hornsey & Wood Green. But there is also an urgent comment needed on the Mayor’s mad proposition to bring powered two-wheelers into the congestion charge regime. We have spent recent years encouraging people to get out of cars onto public transport or onto bikes or scooters – now the Mayor wants to charge them for the change he has been promoting.

Ken has turned into a money-grabbing government lackey. He was great on many issues before he went back into the Labour party. But now his whole joie de vivre has disappeared as he toes the party line and agenda. I think he is unhappy. I don’t know why – but he just doesn’t seem to have the spark he had before.

Back into the lecture hall to be lectured. Several more sessions, our secret polling and campaign advice and then off home to more paperwork and more emails.